Sanders Tells New Democratic Congress: Pass Medicare for All, Tax Billionaires

Sen. Bernie Sanders has told the incoming Democratic Congress exactly what he wants it to do first: pass Medicare for All, tax billionaires, and pause new AI data centres. In a 16-minute video posted on Thursday, the Vermont independent laid out a sweeping agenda for the new Democratic majority that takes control of Congress in January, arguing voters handed Democrats power to deliver on the cost of living.

Key Points

• Sen. Bernie Sanders posted a 16-minute video on Thursday 5 November 2026, “Bernie Explains What’s Next After the Midterms”, setting out the incoming Democratic Congress’s agenda.
• He called for Medicare for All, saying healthcare is a human right, backed by 66 percent of Americans in a KFF survey.
• His first step would lower the Medicare age from 65 to 55, add dental, vision and hearing cover, and cover every child from birth to 19.
• He proposed a 5 percent wealth tax on billionaires to fund a $12,000 payment to every working-class family of four, or $3,000 per person.
• He also called for repealing $1 trillion in Trump-era Medicaid and ACA cuts, a moratorium on AI data centres, and an end to the Iran war.

What Happened

Sanders released the video on Thursday, two days after Democrats swept the midterms and won both chambers of Congress. He told the incoming majority its first job is to show working people that government can improve their lives, starting with healthcare, wages and the cost of living.

On healthcare, his message was blunt. “Healthcare must be considered as a human right, not a privilege. That means passing Medicare for All legislation now supported by 66 percent of the American people,” he said. The video came the same day Sanders told MS NOW’s Chris Hayes he was “not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign” Medicare for All, adding: “our job is to produce it.” Trump, however, keeps his veto.

Background: A New Majority, an Old Fight

The Democrats’ midterm sweep gives Sanders a platform he has not had in years. The party won both chambers on Tuesday 3 November, and the new Congress will be sworn in on 3 January 2027. In the Senate, Sanders is expected to chair the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, while Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon is expected to lead the Finance Committee.

Medicare for All has been Sanders’ signature cause since he first introduced the bill in 2017. Healthcare costs defined the midterms: premiums soared in 2026 after the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies lapsed, and nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts are set to tighten eligibility from January 2027. Sanders warns 15 million Americans could lose coverage.

Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All Plan

At the heart of the video is the healthcare plan itself. Medicare for All would replace private insurance, employer plans and public programmes with a single government-run system covering every American, with no premiums, deductibles or copayments for covered care. Sanders argues the United States spends far more per person than any other wealthy country while leaving tens of millions uninsured, and that a single system would cut waste and drug prices.

Lowering the Medicare age to 55 would bring millions of older workers into the programme, while adding dental, vision and hearing benefits would close some of the most complained-about gaps in current Medicare. The obstacle is arithmetic: passing Medicare for All through reconciliation would require every Democrat to agree, and several moderates have long opposed single-payer healthcare. Sanders’ argument is that producing the bill and voting on it is itself the point.

A Wealth Tax, a $12,000 Payment and a Pause on AI Data Centres

The video went well beyond healthcare. Sanders called for a 5 percent wealth tax on billionaires, using the money to give every working-class family of four a $12,000 direct payment, or $3,000 per person. He also demanded the repeal of $1 trillion in Trump-era Medicaid and Affordable Care Act cuts, warning 15 million Americans stand to lose coverage.

On technology, Sanders called for a national moratorium on AI data centres, arguing the huge facilities drive up electricity prices for nearby households and strain local water supplies while their owners profit. Finally, he called for an end to the war in Iran, now in its ninth month, saying the new Congress should use its power of the purse to stop funding it.

Reactions and Quotes

The video drew a fast response from across the party. Progressives welcomed it as a clear statement of intent.

His exchange on MS NOW gave the plan an unexpected twist. Asked whether Trump might sign Medicare for All, Sanders said he was “not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign” it, adding: “our job is to produce it.” The remark was striking because Trump has repeatedly attacked the idea. No response had come from the White House by Friday, and Democratic leaders have not yet said whether Medicare for All will get a floor vote.

Why It Matters

Sanders’ video matters because it draws the battle lines for the new Congress before it even takes office. The midterms gave Democrats power, but they did not settle the argument inside the party about what to do with it. Sanders argues the mandate was for transformation: Medicare for All, a wealth tax, direct payments and a halt to the war. That argument will shape the first hundred days, and a Sanders-led health committee could force votes the leadership would rather avoid. It also matters for 2028, since the debate will frame the next Democratic presidential primary.

What Happens Next

The new Congress is sworn in on 3 January 2027, and the first test will come quickly. Sanders is expected to reintroduce his Medicare for All bill early in the session, and the question will be whether the Senate leadership schedules a vote or lets it sit in committee. The Iran war funding fight is likely to come first: several incoming Democrats have pledged to cut off funding for the war, and the first spending bills of the new session will test that pledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Bernie Sanders propose in his video? Medicare for All, a 5 percent wealth tax, a $12,000 payment to working-class families, repealing $1 trillion in Medicaid and ACA cuts, pausing new AI data centres, and ending the Iran war.

What is Medicare for All? A single government-run system covering every American, replacing private insurance, with no premiums, deductibles or copayments for covered care.

How many Americans support Medicare for All? A KFF survey released on 6 October 2026 found 66 percent support.

Could Medicare for All pass with 51 Senate votes? Sanders says his first steps could pass by reconciliation with 51 votes. Full Medicare for All would still need the House and the president’s signature.

Would Donald Trump sign Medicare for All? Sanders said he is “not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign” it. Trump has repeatedly opposed the idea.

Read more: Democrats unveil healthcare blitz to restore ACA subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts; OpenAI pledges to pay full power costs of its data centres; and California billionaire tax headed to defeat as 55.6% vote no.